The USAID Rule of Law Program (Program) is supporting the Public Defender’s Office (PDO) to prepare its Strategic Litigation Action Plan for 2024-2025.

As part of that support, on June 20-21, nineteen PDO staff members met to discuss ongoing cases and identify new priority areas for the Strategic Litigation Division in a meeting facilitated by the Program.

Mikheil Sharashidze, Head of the PDO’s Strategic Litigation Division, provided updates on the implementation of the 2023 Strategic Litigation Action Plan and reported on complaints filed with the PDO. The new priority areas for the upcoming strategic plan include cases related to criminal justice and fair trial, equality, disability rights, children's rights, and social, civil, and cultural rights.

Rusudan Tabatadze, USAID Rule of Law Project Management Specialist at the Democracy and Governance Office of USAID/Caucasus, emphasized that strengthening strategic litigation remains a key priority for USAID. Ms. Tabatadze said that the PDO’s Strategic Litigation Division plays a crucial role in safeguarding people's constitutional rights, and that USAID is encouraging the PDO to utilize its mandate for this purpose.

Representatives from various PDO units, including the Strategic Litigation, Criminal Law, National Prevention Mechanism, Gender Equality, Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Child Rights, and Civil, Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, attended the meeting. The participants discussed 20 potential thematic issues to be included in the new Action Plan.